Egypt: U.S. to release Mideast peace-talk plans in Sept.

President Obama told Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak Tuesday that the U.S. government is planning to release a comprehensive blueprint for Middle East peace talks next month, the Egyptian government said after a meeting at the White House

Mr. Mubarak’s first trip to the United States in six years focused on the effort to restart talks between the Israelis and Palestinians. But the 81-year-old Mr. Mubarak’s visit also raised questions from critics about whether the White House has abandoned attempts begun by the Bush administration to challenge the aging leader on human rights and democratic governance inside his country.

Despite calls from Mr. Mubarak in advance of the meeting for a comprehensive peace plan, Mr. Obama did not disclose any sweeping proposals.

“There has been movement in the right direction,” Mr. Obama told reporters in the Oval Office, with Mr. Mubarak sitting to his right.

But Egyptian Ambassador Soliman Awaad, Mr. Mubarak’s spokesman, said that after the meeting Mr. Obama promised a plan by next month, following meetings next week between American and Israeli officials.

“President Obama said that hopefully after … next week there will be a final blueprint to be declared in the course of next month, in September,” Mr. Awaad said.

He also issued a call for the United States to take the helm in leading the peace process.

“We do not need more literature on the peace process, but we do need to move ahead. What is needed now is for Americans to declare a plan to achieve peace in the Middle East,” Mr. Awaad said.

The White House did not immediately confirm or dispute Mr. Awaad’s assertion that it will have a plan out next month, but such a proposal from the Obama administration has been rumored in Washington for some time.

On the ground in the Middle East, Israeli Housing Minister Ariel Atias said no new settlement construction has been authorized in the Palestinian territory of the West Bank since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took office five months ago.

Mr. Obama has called on Israel to stop all settlement construction in order for peace talks to move forward. But he and his surrogates labored Tuesday to show they expect action and compromise also from the Palestinians and surrounding Arab countries such as Egypt.

“My hope is that we are going to see not just movement from the Israelis, but also from the Palestinians around issues of incitement and security, from Arab states that show their willingness to engage Israel,” Mr. Obama said.

Mr. Mubarak said only that he will not accept “a temporary solution” to the peace process, pushing again for a comprehensive plan.

But Mr. Awaad said Egypt and other Arab states are not willing to take “confidence-building measures” toward Israel unless the Jewish state’s settlement freeze includes the natural growth of established settlements.

“The Arabs won’t be encouraged to take such a step and to show gestures for confidence-building with Israelis until the Israelis take some concrete steps,” Mr. Awaad said. “It’s like an egg-and-chicken situation: Who comes first?”

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